


BatFam ABO Week: Day 3

by Raven_Hallowryn



Series: BatFam ABO Week 2020 [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: ABO, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Brudick - Freeform, Established Relationship, M/M, Mpreg, Nesting, Omegaverse, Pregnancy, batfam abo week, omega!dick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:48:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23460469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raven_Hallowryn/pseuds/Raven_Hallowryn
Summary: Dick’s nesting instincts have gone haywire and he feels bad for messing the whole manor up.He knows he’s acting a little crazy but he can't help it.(Entry for Day 3 of the BatFam ABO Week 2020)
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Bruce Wayne
Series: BatFam ABO Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1685221
Comments: 15
Kudos: 300
Collections: Batfamily AlphaBetaOmega Week





	BatFam ABO Week: Day 3

**Author's Note:**

> _BatFam ABO Week 2020_  
>  Day 3: **Nesting** ~~– Time Travel~~ -Praise Kink (?)
> 
> -Check out all the prompts on tumblr.  
> -I'm late but here's day 3. All my entries will be late.  
> -Continuation of Day 2.  
> -Blatant overuse of the word "nesting".  
>  **-Halfway through writing this I realized I'd written something very similar to someone else's entry ("Nesting" by GoddessofRoyalty), this was totally accidental and unconscious but I was too tired to start from scratch. I am sorry.**
> 
> I'm going to try to keep all my entries to the the BatFam ABO Week in the same universe so they are all part of the same story (I might not succeed but I'll try).  
> I'll also try to do all the days (maybe even more than one entry per day because I have more than one idea per prompt) but I'm not making promises because I'm already itching to return to my main fic.

Nesting was a weird process. All omegas nested and all alphas scent marked their territory, it was just instinct but there were many ways for instinct to express itself.

Nesting instincts generally came out in times when omega’s felt vulnerable or needy, they tried to make shelters and surround themselves with things they need and that make them happy and less anxious. Heat nests were particularly important for partnered pairs, they were a bit of a joint effort- the omega building it and if the partner was an alpha they’d scent mark and protect it rabidly, in the case of beta partners it would usually be stuffed full of supplies and snacks for the beta to keep their mate sated and healthy.

Altogether, a nest can tell a lot about an omega’s personality.

Dick’s nests were always cozy and big enough for multiple people to snuggle in with him, he liked company and sleeping in puppy piles like he used to in the circus. His nests were always inviting and he liked lining them with all sorts of things donated (never taken) by his pack members and other loved ones, there were always snacks and supplies in there too but rarely for himself (Damian’s juice boxes, Tim’s chips, Bruce’s cookies, even Jason’s cigarettes). His nests were built to reflect the people he cared for, to make others comfortable, but showed very little of his own wants and needs.

For people like Tim, Jason, Cass or Damian, whose nests were all a bit of a mess, they much preferred just sneaking into one of Dick’s and holing up in his welcoming little burrow where they felt safe and cared for. Even the Titans used to like Dick’s nests in the tower more than their own rooms.

Jason’s nests were always spartan and thrifty, thanks to his childhood with his mother and his time on the streets it was so ingrained in him to build economical nests out of scraps that he often forgot he was now part of a wealthy pack and could literally build a nest with anything he wanted.

His nests were always small and hard to find, drafty too because he didn’t like to feel trapped or cocooned like most omegas (digging out of a coffin ruined tight spaces for him), those nests didn’t look welcoming at all but once inside they were just as comforting as Dick’s, filled with Jason’s scent in every little nook and stuffed with strange things like guns but also ratty stolen pieces of the pack’s clothing and books.

Tim’s nests very messy and lacked structure. His parents were never around to teach him how to make a proper one and while he was smart enough to design something perfect, he never bothered, just improvised and pulled something together shabbily; they were comfortable for about five minutes before they started falling apart but Tim didn’t care about their condition, he was always too busy and focused on other things and let his nest fall to pieces around him and become covered in crumbs and tangled with his gadgets and wire chargers.

Tim too stuffed his nest with all sort of things from his loved ones without their knowledge, including tons of photos, and he booby-trapped the nests to keep people out and prevent them from stealing his keepsakes.

Damian rarely nested by himself, in the League of Assassins it was a sign of weakness, showed vulnerability and lowered defenses so the instinct had been beaten out of him. The few times he tried to nest he only used the best and most expensive items but not necessarily the most comfortable and was very methodical about structure, like building a fancy and very tightly sealed fort that was aesthetically pleasing but rarely comfortable.

Damian’s nests were more for show and always secluded in his room, the inside was barren like he wanted to make himself uncomfortable on purpose to keep his guard up, there were always weapons in plain view and hidden in the folds. The only personal thing was Damian’s insistence in keeping well-worn items of clothing from each pack member in there, anyone whose clothing got stolen for his nests should consider it an honor and a sign of affection because that was the only comfort the boy allowed himself.

Cass didn’t nest at all, like Damian the instinct had been beaten out of her from a young age and so she had never learned but she did seek the comfort and safety. Instead of building she burrowed in tight in spaces that already existed which was why she loved taking over one of Dick’s nests when he allowed.

Duke built very cozy but very private nests but never had more than one at a time, and he didn’t booby trap it like Tim but nobody was usually allowed in it so nobody really knew what he kept inside. His nest was always out in the open (but out of the way) and made with excessive amount of down quilts and fairy lights.

The interesting thing about Duke was that he was always willing to give up pieces of his nest to other people, he was always volunteering to help others build their own nests even though nobody was allowed in his and he rarely allowed himself into nests that weren’t his own.

Dick knew everybody’s styles, he tended to incorporate preferences from each of them into his nests so everybody could feel welcome in them and he always made them in places that felt safe and private but were out in the open enough for everyone to find them, he also always added covered tops for the people that didn’t want everyone to know they were there.

This thing that he was doing now though? That was nothing like any kind of nesting he’d ever done before. Pregnancy had changed something.

Nests were small and localized and built, what Dick had been doing for the past several weeks was nothing like that. Was it even nesting? The instinct felt similar but his actions were unrecognizable.

The further along he got into the pregnancy the more of out sorts he felt. The first trimester was annoying, he never knew how bad morning sickness could really be, but after that things got interesting, not comfortable but fascinating. Dick didn’t mind seeing his body change, the more obvious the bump got the more in love he was with the baby; he made a point of recording every change and every milestone. He also took good care of himself so nobody had to worry.

But then the third trimester started and while his feelings didn’t change, his hormones did and so did his instincts.

Dick started stressing out because nothing felt right around him, even his nests suddenly felt awkward. Moving started to become hard and he was always either horny or really annoyed and people started walking on eggshells around him in case his mood suddenly changed and he snapped at them for breathing wrong.

It didn’t help that was always someone around, there were always people all over him, visitors and pack members alike kept babysitting him. Normally Dick would love the company when he was stuck in the manor, normally he’d enjoy going out every day just to socialize, and in a way he still enjoyed it but lately people felt exhausting.

When he wasn’t outside trying to find a distraction, Dick kept waddling around the manor and looking for a spot, just one small peaceful spot that might feel right, just a tiny piece of space where he didn’t feel vulnerable and could just relax and go back to enjoying his little miracle.

And when he couldn’t find that spot he started moving things around to try to create it, upending everything in the weirdest ways. Some people (Jason) found it hilarious, some (Damian and Duke) tried to help but didn’t really get it, some (Tim) recorded his antics for blackmail.

Alfred, on the other hand, started to go a little crazy over it.

_“Why is all the laundry hanging on the ballroom chandelier?”_

_“Can somebody explain why there are cookies all over the library? That’s how we get ants!”_

_“Why are all the mirrors in the cave?”_

_“What do you mean this room is the wrong shade?”_

_“Why are all the books color coded instead of alphabetical?”_

_“Master Dick, where are you taking those portraits?”_

_“Why is there a nest under the cave’s computer?”_

_“How is the cave too bright? It’s a cave!”_

_“Who unplugged the refrigerator? What do you mean the buzzing annoyed you?”_

_“Why is the west wing bathroom flooded?”_

_“Master Dick, you are over seven months pregnant, don’t you dare drag that heavy bed out of the room by yourself!”_

Dick felt bad, he really did, but he couldn’t help himself.

It was hard to move properly anymore with how huge he’d become but he couldn’t stay still, he couldn’t relax because he was _always_ uncomfortable, even when he was horny as hell he couldn’t get any relief because he didn’t feel safe anywhere. Dick thought he was losing his mind because he kept getting the weirdest urges to change the most random things, to clean things even after Alfred already had, and he even kept exploring every corner of the manor until it smelled more like him than the alphas that marked it.

And then he found it, the _spot_.

It was an attic in the east wing and it felt _right_.

It was high up which for some reason felt important, it was secluded, the light filtered through the skylights just brightly enough and there was only one small window and one entry point. The slanted ceiling reminded him of a big top and that was nice, there was no real airflow and a lot of dust but the stuffiness felt cozy, it was a bit too hot in there seeing as it was Summer but that felt fine too, the dull wooden floors had the right texture under his bare feet (because at some point wearing shoes became torture thanks to swollen joints).

The space was also cramped and stuffed with junk, antiques, furniture and old suitcases but that just made it feel less empty and lonely, and luckily there were no paintings or photos staring at him or electronics buzzing in the background. It also didn’t smell like the cleaning supplies that made him nauseous- no ammonia, no bleach, no floor wax, no window spray, no air freshener and citrusy cleaners, nothing overpowering beyond dust and dry wood.

Dick spent a whole afternoon cleaning like his life depended on it but only with the most scentless things he could find, he used Bruce’s shampoo instead of cleaning products because it was the only soap he could put up with. By the end of the day his whole body hurt like he’d taken a beating and he was covered in grime and dust but he couldn’t care less, didn’t even answer anyone’s questions and concerns when they saw the mess he was.

Bruce didn’t notice, he was out patrolling by the time Dick came down so when he got back all he saw was Dick after a shower and sleeping curled into a ball in the nest in their room, he kept kicking around unable to get comfortable even in sleep and only calmed down when Bruce got in next to him and filled everything with warmth and the scent of alpha.

Over the next few days he slowly dragged all the spare blankets, curtains, sheets and pillows he could find into the attic and began the process of turning the whole space into one gigantic nest.

Every surface was padded with fabric like a circus tent, some of Duke’s fairy lights hung on the highest points, some of Jason books and Dick’s vinyl records worked as weights and support beams for blankets, there was a pillow fort in the center with piles of Bruce and Dick’s clothes to cushion it. The space was cleared of dust but the junk had just been shoved aside and hidden under more curtains and bedding, forming a bit of a labyrinth that was part of the appeal of the space.

It looked messy and elaborate and stifling, it was impractical and too far from a bathroom and the creaky stairs to get to it where too narrow but by the time it was done Dick felt a slightly hysterical sense of pride and relief and collapsed in his pillow pile, finally safe and finally comfortable and just a tiny bit less crazy. The only thing wrong was that he couldn’t smell his mate enough in there but there was time to fix that.

He actually slept like a rock for the first time in a month.

*

“Dick!” A voice called from very far away, it sounded like someone shouting but he barely heard it.

“Master Dick?” That was Alfred from a different direction, he seemed even further away.

Dick curled more the pillow he was hugging, one that was encased in one of Bruce’s turtlenecks, and sighed. He didn’t want to wake up yet, he was too comfortable, but he could hear people calling for him non-stop and it made his brain start stirring into semi-wakefulness.

There was a familiar creaking noise of the stairs and some rustling that made him frown and stir a bit more and then…

“Dick?” Bruce’s voice, soft and concerned and sweet in a way that was rare for him. “Darling, are you alright?”

“Hm? Bruce?” Dick blinked and rubbed his eyes sleepily, the alpha was leaning over him and smelling both like heaven and distress at the same time. “What’s wrong?”

“We’ve been looking for you all day. We were worried you’d been kidnapped again.” Bruce cupped Dick’s cheek, he didn’t sound angry but the words made Dick sit up as fast as his big belly allowed, guilt flooding his system in a nanosecond.

The weird nest was dark with only the fairy lights providing a dim ambience, it was night but impossible to tell what time. Dick hadn’t been thinking, he hadn’t warned anyone where he was because part of his freaky new instinct called for secrecy, he hadn’t even remembered there were other people in world for a while because he had finally felt at ease.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry. I fell asleep.” Dick apologized profusely, looking around a little disoriented and frantic. “What time is it?”

“Are you ok?” Bruce put a hand on his shoulder to ground him.

“Huh? Oh, yeah.” He nodded, ashamed.

“Good.” The alpha nodded too and then pressed a commlink that Dick hadn’t even noticed he was wearing. “I found him.”

Whatever replies Bruce got from the others made him purse his lips and begin answering curtly. “No, he was in the manor… Nesting… No, he’s fine… Robin, I’ll explain later…Yes, you can come back… Not tonight… No, _you_ can stay on patrol…”

Dick listened to Bruce’s half of the conversation with growing anxiety, he had messed up and made everybody worry just because of his dumb pregnancy brain. Bruce didn’t seem upset though, his scent was leveling out back into something comforting and he sounded a little distracted, he was more focused on soothing himself by combing back Dick’s hair, taking in the details of Dick’s face to make really sure everything was alright, and caressing Dick’s baby bump.

Finally, Bruce disconnected and set the comm aside but before he could do anything else Dick was apologizing again.

“I’m really sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I just… I’ve been feeling so anxious and uncomfortable and these stupid new instincts have been messing with my head and then I finally found a good spot and…”

“Dick, calm down.” Bruce interrupted his rambling. “Do you feel better now?”

“Better?” Dick was confused.

“You’ve been dealing with a lot of anxiety. I’ve been worried.”

“You have? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t know how to fix it.” So he said nothing, because that was how Bruce Wayne functioned. Typical.

“Hn.” Dick made a slightly annoyed noncommittal sound, very similar to Batman’s usual grunts.

Rather than elaborate or apologize, Bruce looked around the giant, cluttered, plush nest and nodded to himself. “Now I get it.”

“Huh?” Dick looked around for some sort of explanation.

“I did some research when you started moving things around and biting everyone’s heads off.” The alpha explained, settling into the pillow pile next to the omega and tracing some of his own clothes in it. “It’s just another level of nesting instinct specific to pregnant people, it’s less connected to comfort and more connected to safety and privacy.”

“That’s why you’ve been giving me space.” Now that he thought about it, Dick was amazed he’d gotten away with half the things he’d been doing without Bruce trying to fix everything for him. But that didn’t mean everybody else hadn’t been a little overbearing.

“I didn’t know what else to do.” Bruce let out a frustrated huff and gave Dick a knowing look. “Your usual nests weren’t cutting it, were they? You always made them with other people in mind.”

The omega nodded and unconsciously leaned closer to his mate’s warmth. “I thought I was going crazy.”

Bruce gave a pensive hum and gently pulled Dick into his lap, burying his nose in his hair with both hands resting on the omega’s belly. The baby gave a little kick as if sensing their sire.

“No, you were just being a good parent and trying to find a safe space for the baby.” Bruce said at last, planting a small kiss on Dick’s forehead and rubbing his bump in soft circles.

Dick was grateful for the words, they lifted a huge boulder from his chest that he hadn’t noticed was there before. The omega also melted into the attention, he liked when Bruce was like this and knew he was the only one that ever saw this side of the man because of the kind of intimacy they shared.

It was just a pity that he had worried the alpha, that was why Bruce was acting extra affectionate and touch starved in hopes that Dick would reciprocate and make him feel better. Dick usually made sure to be physical and affectionate often enough that Bruce didn’t even have to ask, though he now realized that he’d been neglecting that task for a while.

While Dick was having his little nesting meltdown the whole pack had been working harder than ever to cover for his absence and prepare for their new arrival and rather than thank them for it he’d been looking for a way to hide from them. He should probably fix that now that his brain seemed to have rebooted.

Bruce seemed to notice that he was thinking too much because he pulled Dick closer and kissed his lips softly as a distraction, one of the alpha’s hand went to the back of Dick’s neck and rubbed gently and firmly and the omega sighed and went pliant.

“It’s still not perfect.” Dick murmured between kisses, glancing around the overblown nest.

“What do you need?” Bruce asked with that tone that said he’d move the sun and the moon if Dick asked him to.

“Need it to smell more like you.” Dick turned to straddle the alpha and draped his arms over Bruce’s shoulders, beaming playfully and leaning in for a deeper and far less innocent kiss.

“I can do that.” Bruce gave a little smile and kissed back, sucking on Dick’s bottom lip like candy until the omega opened up for his tongue; meanwhile the alpha’s arms wrapped possessively around his mate with no intention of letting go any time soon.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm tempted to add a second chapter to this that is just a direct follow up with a fluffy smut scene for the "praise kink" prompt. What do you all think?  
> 
> 
> If you like brudick with babies (and if you enjoy angst and hurt/comfort) check out my main fic/series- "Caged Birds Don't Sing".
> 
> Please drop a comment if you enjoyed this, I live for them and that's hat motivates me to write the other entries quickly.  
> Since I'm trying to make all entries to this ABO Week part of the same story, feel free to share your theories of what happens next.


End file.
